Custom domains Pro
Your page, on your domain.
Every page has a free address at yourname.hydlnk.com. On Pro and Studio you can also connect a domain you already own, bought at any registrar, like links.yourbrand.com. HYDLNK doesn’t sell or register domains, and SSL is automatic.
Two addresses
Start on ours. Move to yours when you’re ready.
yourname.hydlnk.com
Your handle is your address, live the moment you publish, over https. Nothing to set up and nothing to renew.
links.yourbrand.com
A domain you already own, bought at any registrar, pointed at your page with one DNS record. Pro includes 1 custom domain and Studio 15; each custom domain serves one page, and SSL is automatic. Click tracking stays on your domain too.
How it works
Five steps, most of them automatic.
You add one record at your DNS provider. Verification and SSL happen on their own.
- 1
Add the domain in the editor
Open Domains and type the address you want: a subdomain such as links.yourbrand.com, or the root domain yourbrand.com.
- 2
Copy the record the editor shows you
You get the exact DNS record for that domain: its type, its name and its value. A subdomain gets a CNAME record; a root domain gets an A record. The values come from our hosting platform for your domain, so always copy them from the editor rather than from a guide.
- 3
Add the record where your DNS lives
Sign in where your domain’s DNS is managed, usually the company you bought the domain from, open its DNS settings, add the record exactly as shown and save.
- 4
We check it for you
HYDLNK looks for the record and marks the domain Verified as soon as it finds it. Most changes show up within minutes; some providers take a few hours, and DNS can take up to 48 hours to reach everywhere. Check DNS now runs the check right away.
- 5
SSL is issued automatically
Once the domain is verified, a certificate is issued so your page loads over https. Renewals are automatic too: there is nothing to buy, upload or remember.
DNS in plain words
What you’re actually changing.
DNS is the internet’s address book: it turns a name like links.yourbrand.com into the server that answers for it. A record is one line in that book.
CNAME record: for a subdomain
Points one name at another name. Use it for links.yourbrand.com, go.yourbrand.com or any other subdomain. Your main website at yourbrand.com keeps working as it is.
A record: for a root domain
Points a name at an IP address. Root domains like yourbrand.com can’t use a CNAME at most providers, so they use an A record, written with the name @.
Subdomain or root?
If a website already lives at yourbrand.com, use a subdomain. If the domain is only for your link page, the root works too.
TTL
How long other servers may remember a record. Your provider’s default is fine; a lower value only makes later changes spread faster.
Propagation
The time a change takes to reach DNS servers everywhere: often minutes, sometimes hours, at most about two days.
If it doesn’t verify
DNS mistakes are the usual cause, and they’re quick to fix.
Connecting a domain, step by stepIt still says Waiting for DNS
Check the record’s name first: most providers add your domain for you, so the name is just links, not links.yourbrand.com. Then check the value for typos or a trailing space. If both match the editor, give it time and press Check DNS now later.
There’s already a record with that name
A name that has a CNAME can’t have any other record. Edit or remove old A, AAAA or CNAME records for the same name, then add the one the editor shows.
My DNS provider has a proxy or CDN switch on records
Turn it off for this record so it points straight at HYDLNK. With the proxy on, we can’t verify the domain or issue its certificate.
The domain is verified but https isn’t working yet
Certificates usually arrive within minutes of verification. If your domain has CAA records, which limit who may issue certificates for it, they can block issuance. Contact support if https isn’t working an hour after verification.
Will this affect my email?
No. Email uses MX records, which you don’t touch. A CNAME for links.yourbrand.com or an A record for the root leaves your mail exactly where it is.
Domain questions
How do custom domains work?
On Pro and Studio you connect a domain you already own, like links.yourbrand.com: add it in the editor, then add the DNS record it shows you at your domain provider. We check the record automatically and issue SSL, so your page is served over https. Pro includes 1 custom domain and Studio 15.
Can I use my root domain, like yourbrand.com?
Yes. A root domain uses an A record instead of a CNAME, and the editor shows you exactly what to enter. If your main website already lives on that domain, use a subdomain such as links.yourbrand.com instead.
Does HYDLNK sell domains?
No. HYDLNK doesn’t sell or register domains. You connect a domain you already own, bought at any registrar. Pro includes 1 custom domain, Studio includes 15, and SSL is automatic.